1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to programmable logic devices such as field-programmable gate array (FPGA) integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to FPGA integrated circuits using non-volatile memory for providing configuration information for the FPGA and to a non-volatile FPGA configuration memory with an ECC generator/checker for generating ECC information and memory cells reserved for storage of ECC information generated by the ECC generator/checker.
2. The Prior Art
An FPGA includes programmable circuitry that is configured and interconnected using programmable elements. Some FPGA integrated circuits employ non-volatile memory cells, such as flash memory cells, as the programmable elements. Whenever the state of a single memory cell in a non-volatile-memory-based FPGA changes due to ionizing radiation or for any other reason, there is presently no way to detect the failure. Because the FPGA configuration depends on the programmed or unprogrammed status of the non-volatile memory cells, any change in the contents of the configuration memory is likely to have disastrous consequences for the circuit implemented in the FPGA integrated circuit.